Joint exposure to chemical and nonchemical neurodevelopmental stressors in U.S. women of reproductive age in NHANES.

ABSTRACT: Lead (Pb) and methyl mercury (MeHg) are well established neurodevelopmental toxicants (NDTs), but joint exposure to chemical and nonchemical (e.g., maternal stress) stressors has rarely been considered. We characterized exposure to Pb, MeHg and a measure of physiological dysregulation associated with chronic stress and examined race/ethnicity as a predictor of joint NDT exposure. Using data from the 2003-2004 NHANES, potential chronic stress exposure was estimated using allostatic load (AL), a quantitative measure of physiological dysregulation. A Hazard Index was calculated for joint exposure to Pb and MeHg (HI(NDT)). Logistic regression was used to assess the relationship between an indicator of elevated joint NDT exposures (HI(NDT) > 1) and race/ethnicity. The multivariate model was str

SUBMITTER: Evans AM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4024991 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature